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| WHO Regional Director for Africa concludes official visit to Chad |
Ndjamena, 5 May 2009 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis G. Sambo has visited Chad to provide support for efforts by Chadian authorities to address the country’s health problems. Notable among the health problems are the very high infant and maternal mortality rates and the high prevalence of communicable diseases such as malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis and other noncommunicable diseases linked to health determinants, e.g. diabetes and high blood pressure.
During the three-day visit from 3 to 5 May 2009, Dr Sambo held discussions with the national health authorities and partners on ways and means of arresting the spread of wild poliovirus and improving health indicators regarding especially the health of women and children. read more
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| Africa Braces Up to Combat Swine-Flu |
Brazzaville, 30 April 2009 -- The Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organization (AFRO) has launched a programme to combat the potential spread to Africa of the swine influenza A/H1N1 which, as at 29 April, had been officially reported in nine countries. No cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 have been reported in Africa.
“We have established a crisis management team at the Regional Office in Brazzaville to monitor the situation and to respond if necessary to any swine flu outbreaks. We are also working with countries to bolster their disease surveillance systems and to strengthen their contingency and epidemic preparedness and response plans,” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, said on Thursday. read more
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| Current level of influenza pandemic alert raised from phase 4 to 5 |
29 April 2009 -- Based on assessment of all available information and following several expert consultations, Dr Margaret Chan, WHO's Director-General raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5. She stated that all countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities.
:: Statement by WHO Director-General
:: Full coverage of swine influenza
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| African Countries Should Strive for Universal Access to Malaria Control Interventions – Dr Sambo |
Brazzaville, 25 April 2009 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has urged malaria endemic countries in the Region to strive to achieve universal access to cost-effective malaria control interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, high quality indoor residual spraying, prompt diagnosis of malaria and effective medicines for treatment.
“The vision of expanding malaria-free areas in Africa requires decisive action from governments, NGOs, the private sector and civil society if we are to successfully tackle the policy, financing, management and other systemic bottlenecks impeding progress towards malaria control and eventual elimination”, Dr Sambo said in his message on the occasion of World Malaria Day observed worldwide on 25 April since 2008. read more
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